Captain Atherley’s company was ordered to patrol the native town and to clear it of any Sepoys who might be lurking there. About four o’clock Atherley, having heard of the death of Colonel Woodford, took his men to the front, leaving the native town in charge of the 82nd Regiment. General Windham ordered him to line the bank of the canal. Three guns were brought to bear on these Riflemen, and several round shot came amongst them, but without doing any hurt. Atherley made his men take shelter along the bank; and selecting two whom he knew to be excellent shots, he told them to pick off the gunners of these guns, which were annoying the troops from the bridges over the canal; and he desired some of their comrades to load for them, and to hand them up rifles as fast as they could. Thus aided, these Riflemen, creeping up near the bridges, picked off the gunners, and effectually silenced the guns. As another instance of their excellence in shooting, I may add that Atherley, in the course of this day’s fight, asked one of his men, named Robertson, how far he estimated the distance of the brick-kilns to be. The Rifleman replied that he did not know; but calling Atherley’s attention to a man standing on the top of the kiln, he put up his sight for 600 yards, fired, and the man fell. His body was examined the next day by Atherley, and the ball was found to have hit him in the stomach. General Windham thus writes in his despatch of the conduct of the Riflemen: ‘On the left advance Colonel Walpole,[278] with the Rifles, supported by Captain Greene’s battery and part of the 82nd Regiment, achieved a complete victory, and captured two eighteen-pounder guns. ‘The glory of this well-contested fight belongs entirely to the above-mentioned companies and artillery. It was owing to the gallantry of the men and officers, under the able leading of Colonel Walpole and of my lamented relative Lieutenant-Colonel Woodford, of the Rifle Brigade (who I deeply regret to say was killed), and of Lieutenant-Colonel Watson, 82nd, and of Captain Greene, R.A., that this hard-contested fight was won and brought to so profitable an end. I had nothing to do with it beyond sending them supports, and at the end of bringing some up myself. ‘I repeat that the credit is entirely due to the above-mentioned officers and men.’[279] The loss of the Riflemen on this day was Lieutenant-Colonel Woodford and five men killed, and Captain Dillon (severely), Lieutenant Lawton, 1 bugler, and 18 men wounded, and 1 man missing.